Business isn’t that hard, right? You’ve managed to take this tiny idea that might’ve amounted to nothing, and built it into something that may make you rich. It has taken quite a lot of work, but it’s all worth it now. Your little project is about to take off!
Let’s say you’ve created a product and people are in need of it. They want it so badly that they’ve, in their droves, decided to pay you good money for it. This is exactly what the plan was. Sales are happening. It’s going great. Now you’ve just got to get what they’ve ordered to them. It’s got to be correct, safe, flawless and speedy. A tedious and as unflashy as it might be, shipping is a big part of the cycle, and you need to get it right. Customers won’t really notice the good stuff you’ve done in this regard, but they’ll be alerted to any negatives – so try to limit those!
If you’ve got a couple of minutes, read on as we go through what you should be doing and thinking about at this late stage of a business transaction.
Don’t Make Things Complicated
When you go to order something, do you want to be confused by all of the steps you have to take? No. You want a smooth and quick transaction that means you’ll get what you want after a few clicks. As the seller, you’ll want to do exactly this. Make sure everything is straightforward, and the customers know what they have to do.
Stay Switched On
This should probably go without saying, but you really need to be on the ball. As soon as you have confirmation of a sale, you’ve got to get the wheels of distribution moving. Sure, you might be late sometimes due to a busy schedule or another external issue, but don’t make a habit of it. A bad reputation isn’t something you want.
Packaging
You need to be able to ensure that the product does not receive even a spec of damage while it is in transit. That responsibility lies solely on you. You cannot blame anyone else for anything bad that may happen to the item. Reinforcing the item with things like polystyrene packaging, bubble wrap, shrink-wrap and other materials is the right thing to do. You should probably give everything a second look before you send them, too. This is something you don’t want to get wrong.
Get Some Insurance
You’ll want to be covered yourself if, say, the posted package goes missing, is stolen, or gets irreparably damaged. The customer will probably be demanding a reimbursement, so it’s wise to minimise your own problems along the way.
Do A Little Extra Research!
This is another part of business that you kind of learn as you do it, but if you have any extra problems, then the internet is there to help. There will be thousands of articles, info, and expert takes from experienced business people. If you have a burning question that needs answering; there will be someone out there speaking it.